Teen's complaint shines light on coach's vulgarity, sports culture

Fullerton Union High School baseball player Grant Sims says his coach, Marc Patino, referred to Sims with a derogatory term for gay people and threatened him in a graphic way. The school district took "significant disciplinary action" against the head coach, who is a full-time teacher. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

FULLERTON – Sixteen-year-old Grant Sims says he's never been one to complain about expletives and vulgar language he hears daily at baseball practice.

It's to be expected, he says, including from his coaches at Fullerton Union High School. But at a June baseball game, Sims said, head coach Marc Patino went too far.

During a team huddle, Patino referred to Sims with a derogatory term for gay people, and when Sims gave the coach a displeased look, Patino threatened to initiate a graphic sex act with the high school junior, according to a complaint filed with the Fullerton Joint Union High School District.

The district, in an Aug. 31 letter to the Sims family, reported it took "significant disciplinary action" against Patino.

"The district does not condone or tolerate any comments or actions of any of its employees that would embarrass or demean students, staff or members of the public," Edward Atkinson, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources, said in the letter.

The district would not elaborate on the punishment, citing personnel confidentiality. Patino, a full-time social science teacher at Fullerton Union High School, did not return multiple requests for comment. He remains the team's head coach.

Orange County school and athletic officials acknowledge that situations like the one Sims alleged continue to play out on sports fields across the nation, a reflection of a decades-long, less-than-successful effort to wipe out the strong and threatening language used in high school sports.

"Cussing and swearing is something you can't ever defend with a parent," said Vince Brown, athletic director at Santa Ana's Foothill High School, a coach for three decades. "But it's difficult because a lot of times the coaches are using it in the heat of the moment, and it's something that comes from either the way they were coached or are accustomed to coaching. There's a huge learning curve."

Even when officials seek to hold coaches like Patino accountable for their behavior, experts say, schools' ability to take decisive action is hampered by state laws that protect teachers' due-process rights.

As a result, officials say, schools generally don't take actions like suspension and termination, especially in instances of a single reported transgression.

TEEN ALLEGES PATTERN

Sims said his decision to report Patino to school authorities was based on a pattern of behavior that emerged in the classroom as well as on the field. (Sims also had Patino as a teacher last year.)

In the written complaint, Sims and his parents accused Patino of regularly referring to one of Sims' teammates with a derogatory term for Jewish people, and of regularly using phrases such as "You (expletive)" and "You're the biggest (expletive)."

During the June 25 team huddle, Patino said, "The only (expletive) not playing (defense) today is Grant," according to the complaint. When the teen gave his coach a displeased look, Patino said, "Don't look at me that way or I'll skull-(expletive) you," the complaint said.

"Profanity doesn't bother me; it's the terms and remarks toward people that do," said Sims, who plays centerfield and pitcher.

Fullerton Union High School baseball player Grant Sims says his coach, Marc Patino, referred to Sims with a derogatory term for gay people and threatened him in a graphic way. The school district took "significant disciplinary action" against the head coach, who is a full-time teacher. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fullerton Union High School baseball player Grant Sims says his coach, Marc Patino, referred to Sims with a derogatory term for gay people and threatened him in a graphic way. The district says it took "significant disciplinary action" against Patino. Patino remains in his position as head baseball coach. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fullerton Union High School baseball player Grant Sims, 16, center, with his father, Sean, and mother, Jackie. The family filed a formal complaint against head coach Marc Patino after Patino allegedly referred to the teen with a derogatory term for gay people and threatened him in a graphic way. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fullerton Union High School varsity baseball coach Marc Patino, pictured in the school yearbook, had "significant disciplinary action" taken against him after being accused of threatening a student player in a graphic way. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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